Our Weekend

Saturday morning I spent a couple of hours in service. It was rainy, so we made RV's and invited people to the Memorial. It was a nice morning. We did a mix of English and Spanish calls.

When we got home, I took a little nap then got up and did some housework to get ready for our company that evening. We had invited Rachel & her kids over for dinner and games.  She brought Jace along too.  Brandon made pork tacos, which were awesome, and then we played a couple of games of Cranium Family Edition.  It was a lot of fun!

Sunday afternoon I made some chocolate chip cookies for my dad.  When I lived at home I made cookies pretty often and  Daddy always enjoyed them.  He's got a sweet tooth and loves chocolate.  So, anyway I thought I would make some cookies for him to help with his recovery. :)  Today, I took them by his house and after I visited with him for a little while, I went to visit my aunt Rose and give her the album I made for her.

Mowing with Bogart & My Dad's Surgery

Thursday Brandon got the lawnmower out for the first time this year and started tackling the clover that appeared overnight in our backyard.  Bogart was outside with him when he cranked it, and all of a sudden I heard him barking like crazy.  I went out to see what the fuss was about, and Bogart was chasing Brandon on the lawnmower and barking like mad.  It was hilarious!  Click on the pic to see a bigger version and our crazy dog's face.  

Yesterday was a somewhat stressful day.  My dad found out recently that he had a blockage in one of the arteries in his abdomen, and they had him scheduled to have a stint put in yesterday.  Thankfully, I was able to take off work and be at the hospital with him.  I actually even took my work computer with me and attempted to get some work done in the waiting room, but that didn't work out so well because for some reason I wasn't able to connect to our VPN.  

Anyway, Daddy came through his procedure great!  When he was out of surgery and back in his recovery room, I went in to check on him and sat with him for a little while then went to meet Kayla at Lenny's Sub Shop for lunch.  I had never been there, but they have great sandwiches.  Kayla & I both got the chicken Philly sub and had a really nice time chatting while we ate.  Then it was back to the hospital for me and back to work for her.  I stayed with Daddy until about 3:00 and then went ahead and left so I could go get groceries and then try to get home before Brandon had to work.

Well, I did manage the grocery part.  I went to Kroger and loaded up on all kinds of stuff we had been out of.  I tried to get a good stock of healthy food too...veggies, fruit, fish...I even scored a large sockeye salmon fillet that we will be having for supper tomorrow night.  YUM!  Anyway, my coupons were totally out of order and I didn't have a list...Needless to say, I did do good with savings (my coupons brought the total down by $30 after she scanned them), but I was in there WAY too long!  Brandon had to leave just before I got home. I actually met him about 2 miles from our house. :(  I hated not seeing him before he left for the night.  :op

Just when I was getting home, my dad called to say they had also made it home and that he was feeling fine.  So, I'm relieved that is all over and hope he won't have to go through that again!

I love my coffee!

If you know me, you know that I'm very picky about my coffee, and I love my Dunkin' Donuts. I'm very frugal when it comes to groceries and other household purchases, but Dunkin' Donuts coffee is one splurge that I make almost every week. And at $7.46/12 oz. bag, it is a splurge for us.  

Well, guess what I discovered a few minutes ago...You can sign up for regular shipments from the DD website and save a lot of money!  Needless to say, we are now signed up and should be receiving our first 5 lb. bag of beans in a few days.  Even with shipping, we'll be paying less than $7 per pound now, and we don't have to worry about running out.   Yay!

I'm really racking up in the coffee world lately. Friday - thanks to the head's up by Jeannie - I scored a Bunn BTX coffee maker for less than half the normal retail price.  There is a small store in the area that gets returns from department stores like Kohl's, and they had a few of these in stock.  Brandon and I have been wanting a better coffee maker for a while now, so when we found out about these, we snatched one up.  LOVE IT!

Got Some Scrapping Done!

Well, despite having an upper respiratory infection and a (so far) mild case of bronchitis, I've managed to get some scrapbooking done today. :) First, I created another mini-album like the one I made using Angelia's kit. I used the same concept this time, but I used my own stash of supplies. I used the same photos as before because this album is going to my other aunt. (I'm pretty sure she doesn't read my blog...be sure not to tell her! Shhh! Rose, if you do read my blog...please at least act surprised. LOL)

After I finished the album, I ran over to my aunt & uncle's to install the modem on his computer. Then I gave my aunt Mary her book (the first one I made), which she loved. I was so glad! :) Hopefully I can see my aunt Rose soon and give this one to her.

This evening, I decided to work on some of my Project 365 album. I'm way behind on putting these layouts together! I actually have skipped a week since I last shared b/c I'm a couple of pictures short. I somehow missed them when I ordered my pictures last time. Anyway, I'll back up and show you that when I get them in. For now, here is my layout for January 19-25.

Welcome Home!

Brandon had to work Saturday night after we got home from Atlanta, and I know it was tough on him after driving all morning. :( But look at the welcome home he got Sunday morning! Duchess & Bogart were still exhausted from playing with Madilyn & Harley all week, but they were sooo happy to see him! They ran over to the couch and just flopped over. LOL

In other "welcome home" news, I was welcomed home yesterday with a head cold. Yuck. I have a doctor's appointment for tomorrow and hope I don't end up with bronchitis between now and then...that's pretty typical for me, which is why I'm going to the doctor to fend it off.

Atlanta (Part 2)

In our last episode, Brandon and Heather were about to enjoy their Papa John's pizza...LOL Yeah, I know it's been a week, but better late than never - right? ;o) Now let's see if I can remember the rest of our week in Atlanta...

Thursday while I was in class, Brandon decided to take the car and go exploring. I think he went to Buckhead and Piedmont Park. I do know he got out and walked around and ate lunch at an Irish pub. He really enjoyed himself until he had to drive back in Atlanta rush hour. LOL We had actually planned on going out with the car that evening, but after the traffic he battled to get back to the hotel, he wasn't about to drive again, so we once again used the complimentary shuttle.

I had been hearing about all these people in my class who had been eating at The Cheesecake Factory, so we decided to try them out for dinner. There is one at Perimeter Mall, just down the road from the Hilton Suites where we were staying, so we had the driver drop us off there.

So, the plan was to eat at The Cheesecake Factory, and then take the MARTA to the movie theater. That was the plan. However, after a delicious (and huge) meal we were both so stuffed and sleepy we decided to order a slice of cheesecake to go (can't go to The Cheesecake Factory and not have cheesecake!!) and head back to the hotel and just watch TV. I think we're getting old. LOL Whatever...I sure did enjoy getting into some comfy clothes, under a blanket on the couch, and watching TV while I had my 30th Anniversary Cheesecake and a glass of merlot. Mmmm!!

Friday was our last day of class. We got out early, so Brandon and I decided to get out and find something fun to do before we met Jeannie's sister, LeAnn, for dinner. After reading about a lot of the exhibits and other things to do around Atlanta, we settled on the Georgia Aquarium. First, though, we had to get some lunch. We had been eating pretty badily most of the week, so I really wanted a nice fresh salad. We found Doc Green's online and decided to try it out. Oh my goodness, it's definitely a do-over. Great place!

So anyway, we ate our yummy lunches and then went on to the aquarium. We love aquariums and had heard good things about this one, so we were looking forward to it. When we finally go there, though, and saw five or six school buses lined up outside, we almost backed out. Apparently it was field trip day!

A little hesistantly, we decided we were already there so we might as well go in. Oh my goodness...the place was a MAD HOUSE. Keep in mind that we are not parents, nor are we accustomed to hundreds of screaming, shrieking, pushing children. There were so many kids there - and half of them weren't being watched very well - that we could hardly get up to really look at many of the exhibits. If we did manage to squeeze our way up to one of the tanks, we were usually pushed back out of the way, or at the very least elbowed a couple of times. Ugh.

Despite the chaos, we forged ahead. We had, after all, paid nearly $70 to park and get inside the place. After the first couple of exhibits it did get a little better. I guess people were starting to spread out a little more and so it wasn't as cramped after we had been there an hour or so. And there were some beautiful exhibits. I especially loved seeing the whale sharks & beluga whales because we had never seen either of them at any of the other aquariums we had been to.

Being that we rushed through many of the exhibits, we were through the entire aquarium in record time. We found ourselves sitting outside the building at 3:30 with still a couple more hours to kill before we were supposed to meet LeAnn. So we called her up and asked for suggestions. We decided to go to Atlantic Station and find something to do there. She gave us street by street directions from her desk at work, and after turning around a few times, we finally got there and parked in the underground parking garage.

We had never been to Atlantic Station before, but it is a really neat place! We walked around for a while, trying to decide where to kill time before we finally decided on Fox Sports Grill. We were really impressed and want to go back again with friends. The place is huge, and they have a big bar in the center (you can see a pic on their website). There are some tables and chairs, but there are lots of sitting areas with sofas, chairs, and cocktail tables. We chose one of these areas to hang out. There are TVs all around, all of them playing different sports. And while we were there, they had most of their appetizers 1/2 price, so we decided to split an order of BBQ chicken nachos. I also had this really fruity martini with pineapple juice. Very tasty!

When it was time for LeAnn to get off work, we left Atlantic Station and followed her directions to her office. She actually came out and met us part of the way and then led us back. That was an exciting little trip. LOL Anyway, we got to meet her friend, Cynthia, who was also going with us to dinner. She's a hoot...lots of fun! So anyway, the four of us caravanned down the street to the little Mexican restaurant we had heard all about: Nuevo Laredo Cantina.

This little restaurant is very small and very out of the way, but apparently it stays very busy. We were going to have to wait a while on Katie, Ryan, Bobby, and Becky (Jeannie & LeAnn's niece & nephew, and their spouses) so LeAnn ordered us a pitcher of margaritas and some chips and salsa, and we parked ourselves out on the deck with all the other people lined up outside. We were perfectly happy waiting out there. We laughed and laughed. LeAnn & Cynthia are both a lot of fun!

When the rest of our group arrived, we were able to get seated pretty fast. It was extremely cramped in the little restaurant, but that was OK. It was so great to see everyone again, especially Katie. We've been e-mailing and keeping up with her treatments through the family, but it was nice to see her in person. She's doing great! She and Ryan have been through so much and both just have terrific attitudes about everything. :)

Anyway, so we had a wonderful time visiting with everyone and eating the delicious food! And after we ate, we all went back to LeAnn's for a while to visit some more. I was enjoying myself so much that Brandon had to basically drag me out to go back to the hotel...it's usually the other way around. ;o)

The next morning, we finished packing up, ate one last complimentary breakfast at the hotel's grill, and hit the road. Brandon had to work that night, so we needed to get home as soon as possible for him to rest. The drive wasn't too bad, and I was sooo happy to get home and see all our babies!

Atlanta: Part 1

Brandon and I arrived at our hotel in Atlanta Sunday night. It's really nice (all suites), and when I told them that it was our anniversary, they upgraded our room to a jacuzzi suite with the same corporate rate I was already getting. Not only that, but they also gave us vouchers for free buffet breakfast in their grill every morning ($15 value). Nice!

Monday morning my classes started. There are fifteen people in my class, almost all of us being in totally different business scenerios. The class is pretty broad in nature, but our instructor is really good about helping us with our individual situations and problems. We've covered a lot of things I already know, but we've also covered a lot of things I didn't know yet. And then there are cracks being filled in here and there as well. All in all, it's a really helpful course, and I'm expecting to be able to take some information back with me that will help our company out.

Anyway, our class is Monday-Friday, 9:00-5:00, so we're halfway through now. Brandon's been hanging out at the hotel every day while I've been in class. I guess he's been playing his PSP, reading, and watching TV. Today he played golf. In the evenings, we've been trying to find nice places to eat together.

Monday night we went to a neat place called 5 Seasons Brewing. The weather was beautiful, so we requested a table outside. We really enjoyed ourselves. Their menu is really diverse and unique.  I ordered the smoked salmon/avocado grilled pizza.  Weird combo, right?  It was delicious!  Brandon had alligator tacos...also good!  And he got to sample their microbrews, which he loved.

Last night we had the hotel shuttle drop us off at the mall.  We ate at a restaurant there called Hudson Grille.  It would be a great place to watch a game.  They had large HD TVs all around the whole restaurant.  The food was pretty good too.  After we ate, we walked around the mall some and made a few stops before calling for the shuttle to come back and get us.

Tonight, we decided to stay in.  We've snacked around on some things we brought and then ordered a pizza, which just arrived, so that's enough for now! :)

Hair Cut

I made an appointment for yesterday to get my hair trimmed.  At the last minute, though, I decided to get it cut into a different style instead.  I found a pic on the internet and took it with me.  The result involved several inches of hair in the floor beneath the chair.  What do you think?

It's going to take some getting used to, and it is shorter than the picture I took with me, but I think I like it.  And even if I didn't, it will grow back! :)

Happy (Early) Anniversary!

Sunday is our 12th wedding anniversary. At lunch today I was called to the main office to pick up a "package". Brandon surprised me with flowers! :)

Exercise, Phone, Recipe, Etc.

I stopped and worked out on my way home from work yesterday. It would have been so easy to drive past and go on home and crash, but once I got in there and started on the elliptical, I really enjoyed it. I weighed yesterday and am down 5 lbs, so I know I'm making progress. It's encouraging!

My new phone arrived yesterday. Yay! It's going to be nice not worrying if your phone will make it throughout the day. I literally had to charge my Razr every single day. This LG is going to take some getting used to - my last two phones were Motorolas - but I do think I'm going to like it. I got some ringtones and photos loaded to it last night while I watched American Idol, so at least it's a little more personalized now.

For supper last night, I tried a new recipe that a lady at work told me about. You can find it here, however I made some changes to my version. I used chicken breast instead of tofu, and I added teeny bit of 2% cheese to each enchilada before rolling them up. I also left out the onions b/c I don't like them. ;o) They were really good, however next time I make them I will add some jalapenos for some heat.

In other news, our 12th anniversary is coming up this Sunday. We're celebrating a little differently this year. I have training for work next week, so Sunday afternoon we are heading out for Atlanta. I'm so glad Brandon will be able to go with me! I'll be busy during the day, but we should have a good time in the evenings. And we have lots of friends in the area, so Brandon will have people to keep him company while I'm at training. Now I just have to pack!!

Mini-Album

I actually sat down and scrapbooked last night. Not only that, but I started and finished an adorable mini-album thanks to the great class kit that I bought from Angelia Wigginton. It was nice not to have to think about the design, match the papers, look for embellishments, etc. for a change. Everything was in a bag and instructions were written out. Easy as pie!

The only thing I really had to decide on was what type of photos I wanted to include. Angelia had used photos of her daughter in the example, and the 7 Gypsies stickers included kind of went along the theme of dream, imagine, believe...that type of thing. I love what she did; however not having children, I didn't really want to go that route. Instead, I chose to do my album with photos of my mom and her brothers & sisters when they were little. I had a couple of sheets of the same line of 7 Gypsies stickers in my stash that went more along the themes of family & remember, so I mixed some of them in with the ones in the kit. I'm extremely happy with how it turned out and have decided to give it to my aunt as a gift. Now I need to make another one for myself!

Quick Update

I was really proud of myself yesterday in that I stopped at the wellcare center and hit the treadmill before going home. I didn't work out as long as I should have, but I'm proud that I did something. I had worked over and wasn't feeling great, so I was happy that I stopped. When I got home I threw together a quick dinner and fell asleep on the couch not long after eating. So much for being productive at home! LOL

I've been waiting on March 3rd to roll around for months now, and it's finally here! Brandon and I were both really needing to get new phones. Our Razrs are just worn out. Mine has to be charged every single day, and his has a shattered screen from multiple drops on the pavement. This morning I went into our AT&T account and looked at all the free/inexpensive upgrades before settling on the $9.99 LG Shine. The other girl in our office has one and likes it, and it seems like a pretty sturdy phone other than the fact that it probably scratches easily, which will not be an issue due to my next purchase...

Brandon introduced me to the DecalGirl website a few days ago. He had been looking at some skins for his new PSP, since it's easily scratched as well. They have some of the coolest designs, and they are available for just about anything you could think of. Plus, they're not supposed to leave any residue when you remove them. The phone & PSP skins come with a code to download a matching wallpaper. So anyway, I picked out these matching skins for my new phone as well as for my Macbook, which is terribly scratched up. I'm not really a pink person, but I love the pattern. What do you think?

I also got this skin for Brandon's PSP. He had already picked it out but just hadn't ordered it. If you spend $30 you get free shipping, so I just ordered everything together. The nice thing is that they take PayPal, so I was able to order them with some of the money I made on my recent Sizzix eBay auction. :) I can't wait to get them in!

Book Review, Snow, and More!

Well, we survived another inventory Friday. It took some work, but we made it! After helping in the main warehouse for a few hours, I went over and did what I could to help in the chassis shop. I finally got out of here around 6:15. (I normally get off work at 2:30.) So glad that's over until next year! And look what I got this morning as a thanks for helping: a 10,000-calorie slice of cheesecake! I was good and only ate half of it (shared with a girl in our office), but it was delicious! I'll probably need an extra hour on the treadmill this evening, but it was so worth it!

Friday evening, even though I should have been home packing, Jeannie & I went over to Angelia Wigginton's "scrapbook blowout sale" and shopped our little hearts out. I got all kinds of goodies that I can't wait to use. My favorite purchase, though, was a copy of her brand-new-hot-off-the-press book, Playing With Paper. I've only begun looking at it, but I'm loving it so far! If you are a scrapbooker, you simply must get a copy of this awesome idea book for yourself. Angelia is an amazing scrapbooker, and this book is full of her work and ideas & techniques that you can do yourself. I'm already picking out things to try and layouts to "scraplift".

Saturday morning, I was up at 4:30 getting ready to leave for our assembly in Memphis. We met my aunt & uncle at their house a little after 6:00 and hit the road. The assembly was awesome. It was really encouraging and motivating and just what I needed after such a stressful week. It was nice seeing old friends. And it was great seeing one old friend in particular get baptised. I've known him all his life, and so that was a really happy occasion. :)

The only problem with our assembly was that we didn't get to go to the Sunday session...Saturday when we left, we were greeted with this little scene. Yep - it snowed! Of all weekends for us to get a rare snow...so typical! They had actually announced from the podium that we were having nasty weather, so we were expecting it when we got outside. I'd say we probably already had 3"-4", and it was still coming down. And it had started sleeting first, so the roads were getting pretty bad. We very carefully made our way to our hotel and ordered pizza instead of going out to dinner.

The next morning, all the roads in the area were solid ice. We had actually planned on going back on Sunday, but the roads were just too bad. There will be several other assemblies with the same program, so we will go back another weekend to catch the Sunday session. Anyway, we hung out at our hotel until checkout time and gave the sun time to melt it enough for us to drive, then we headed south. We stopped in Corinth, and my aunt & uncle treated us to a yummy lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant, then we went on home. Our furbabies sure were glad to see us! :)